Rail-clamp



1. 1. BRANAGAN.

RAIL CLAMP. APPLICATION FILED DEC- 8, I920.

1,373,592. v Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

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RAIL CLAMP. APPLICATION FILED DEc. s, 1920.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

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RAIL-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5., 1921.

Application filed December 8, 1920. Serial No. 129,108.

Z 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. BnANAoAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at McKees Rocks, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRail-Clamps, of which. the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in means for securing railroadrails to cross ties of the type shown in my prior United States PatentsNo. 1,256,199 of February 12, 1918, and No. 1,307,110 of January 17,1919.

In my prior patents above enumerated, metal cross ties are shown havingchairs at each end thereof, each chair being provided with a lockingflange adapted to engage the outside base flange of the rail. Betweenthe end chairs are abutments, and clamps engaging the side and the innerpart of the base flange of the rail are" held in clamped position bymeans of removable tapered wedge plates. Unless means are provided forpositively locking the wedge plates in position, especially on curves,they are liable to work loose and allow the clamp to become dislodged.

My present invention has for its object to provide a locking means forthe wedge plates, by means of which the plate may be held fromaccidental removal, and which shall be adjustable to correspond to thedifferent positions to which the plates may be forced during the settingof the rails.

in the accompanying drawings which show several embodiments of myinvention Figure 1 is a perspective view of a curved rail and one end ofa tie to whichthe rail is secured by the means described, the wedgeplate being provided with means for holding it in place; i

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through a tie along the center, of one ofthe wedge plates, showing the means for holding the wedge plate fromaccidental removal;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the holding device;

Fig. 4: is a section through the clamping member and tie;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of theclamping member used for engaging therail;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a clamping plate adapted to be spiked toa wooden tie;

F ig. is a section correspondingto Fig. 2,

but showing a modification of the invenbase flange and side of the rail.A slotted abutment 8 is provided on the tie and is spaced a considerabledistance from the portion 7. A slotted clamping member 9 is placedagainst the inside of the rail between the rail and abutment 8, its railengaging face having a groove therein in which the base flange of therail fits so that the top and the bottom of the flange are engaged bythe clamp. A gradually tapering wedge plate 10 having lateral finsthereon for cooperative engagement with the grooves in the abutment 8and clamping member 9 is driven between the clamping member and theabutment, and serves to hold the clamp in position. This construction isshown in my United States Patent No. 1,256,199. In order to prevent theclamp 9 from tending to twist sidewise when the wedge is driven in, iprovide depending flanges 9' on the clam pin memb ,r to engage the edgesof the tie whi h insure against such displacement. The construction ofthe clamping member is clearly shown in Fig. 5.

When a tie in the form of an I-beam is used, one or more strengthening"webs 5 may be formed therein directly under the rail to enable the tietosafely support the enormous loads to which they are subjected. Theties are also preferably a little wider at the bottoms than at the topsto give them greater stability.

Instead of forming the clamping means on a metallic tie, they may beformed on a plate 7, as shown in Fig. 6, and this plate may be spiked orotherwise secured to a tie. Such an arrangement is safer than theordinary spiked rail, and the rail may be more readily removed orreplaced.

' Where a curved rail is employed, the

clamp 9 is also preferably curved to conform to the rail, as shown inFig. 1

The efficiency of the clamp described depends on the wedge plate beingdriven tightly into position and staying there. For the sake ofconvenience, however, it is desirable that the wedge plate be capable ofre-- moval for the purpose of removing the rail or otherwise repairingthe track. I therefore provide the removably locking or retaining meanshereinafter described for holding the Wedge plate 10 in the position towhich it is driven.

As shown in Fig. 2, the small end of the wedge plate is provided with aseries of holes 12 passing therethrough. These'holes are preferablyclose together, and are equidistant. The fastening or retaining devicecomprises a small plate 13 having a depending pin 14 secured thereto,the pin be- 7 ing adapted to be passed through the opening 12 mostnearly adjacent the edge of the tie and engages said edge. A cross pin15 is then passed through the projecting lower portion of the pin 14 toprevent it from being accidentally removed. The plate 13 is alsopreferably provided with a second depending pin 16 rigidly securedthereto but which has a loope'dportion 17 formed above the plate to forma lifting meansfor the plate. The depending pin 16 is relatively shortand does not pass entirely through the wedge plate although it doesengage in the openings 12. The purpose of this pin is to maintain thecover plate 13 in suitable position to prevent the holes 12 frombecoming filled by dirt and foreign matter collecting therein.

In use, the wedge platelO is driven into clamping position as far aspossible. The pin 14 is then driven into that one of the holes 12 whichbrings it -into contact with the edge of the tie 5. At the same time,pin 16 enters one of the other holes to secure the cover plate 13 inposition. After the pin 14 is in place, cross pin 15 is inserted toprevent the pin 14 and the cover plate being accidentally removed.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the wedge plate10 is slotted at its small end, the slot being indicated at 20. Over aportion of the slot is a housing 21, the parallel sides of which areprovided with a series of openings 22.

The fastening or retaining device comprises a body 23 adapted to slidein the slot 20, and the upper portion thereof projects above the surfaceof the plate 10 into the housing 21. A series of holes 24 adapted to bebrought into alinement with the holes 22 in the housing are provided inthe fastener. At the rear of the body 23 is a depending lug 25 forengagement with the edge of the tie 5.

When in use, the Wedge plate 10 is driven to clamping position, asusual, after Which, the fastening member 23 is placed in position sothat lug 25 engages the edge of the aeraeea tie and cotter pin 26 isthen passed through that opening in the housing which is in alinementwith one of the openings 24 in the fastener, the end of the cotter pinprojecting at the other side of the housing.

This end is then bent to secure the pin in position in a manner wellunderstood. The

slope or curvature of the sides of slot 20.

'and quickly released when necessary. It

will also be seen that the plates may be locked in substantially theposition to which they are driven, notwithstanding that some of theplates may be driven in farther than others. In other words, the lockingmeans is adjustable to variations in the positions of the plates towhichthey are applied. The invention is particularly useful in connectionwith a curved rail Where the spring pf the rail tends to force theclamping plate oose. formed on the bottom of the tie to prevent it fromslipping and portions of its surface could be roughened or corrugated asindicated at 5*.

I claim .as my invention:

1. The combination with a rail, of a tie, and means for securing therail to the tie, said means including a rail engaging clamp, a wedgeplate cooperating with means on the tie for holding the clamp inposition, means removably carried by said wedge plate for engaging oneedge of the tie to hold said wedge plate against removal, and othermeans on said removable means for preventing the accidental removalthereof.

2. The combination with a rail, of a tie, and means for securing therail. to the tie, said means including .a rail clamp a wedgeplateengaging the clamp and cooperating with means on the tie forholding the clamp in position, means comprising a body member having adepending pro ection thereon for engagement with the t e, said bodymember being detachably carried by said wedge in position, meanscomprising a body mem her having a depending projection thereon forengagement withthe tie, said'body mem-.

ber being adjustably carried by said wedge plate, and a pin connectingthebody memher with the wedge plate to hold it in ad justed osition.

4. T e cbination with a rail, of a tie,

Transverse projections 5 may be net a ate and means for securing therail to the tie including a rail clamp, a wedge plate en gaging theclamp and cooperatlng with means on the tie for holding the clamp inposition, said wedge plate being provided with openings therein, andmeans including a body having a projection for engaging the edge of thetie through some one of the desired openings and means on the bodyconnected to said wedge plate through some one of the other openings,said projection on the body preventing the removal of the wedge platethrough its engagement with the edge of the tie.

5. The combination with a rail, of a tie, and means for securing therail to the tie, said means including a rail clamp, a wedge plateengaging the clamp and cooperating with means on the tie for holding theclamp in position, said wedge plate being provided with a series ofopenings therein, and wedge retaining means supported on the wedge plateand comprising a body portion having a depending pin thereon projectingthrough any desired one of said openings, said pin 'being adapted toengage the tie and other means fOfI' preventing the accidental removelof said wedge retaining means.

6. The combination with a rail, of a tie, and means for securing therail to the tie, said means including a rail clamp, a wedge plateengaging the clamp and cooperating with means on the tie for holding theclamp in position, said wedge plate being provided with a series ofopenings therein, and wedge retaining means supported an the wedge plateand comprising a body portion having a depending pin thereon projectingthrough any desired one of said openings, said pin being adapted toengage the tie, and means on the wedge retaining means connected withmeans on the wedge plate for prevent ing the accidental removal of saidwedge retaining means. v

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. BRANAGAN.

Witnesses:

WM. H. PARMELEE, Lors WINEMAH.

